British royalty Edward VII: Queen Alexandra British Royalty: Edward VII--Queen Alexandra (1844-1925) Figure 1.--Alix and Dagmar are seen here as young girls in a painting by E. Jerichau-Baumann. Alix wears long ringlets, Damar shorter curls. Both have a center part. Alix also wore ringlets at her wedding. Later she would wear her hair up. I believe ringlets were seen as a fashion for a child or very young woman. Note the stylilized leading strings. Alexandra was born in 1844, only a few years after her future husband, the Prince of Wales. Her father was Christian IX (1818- ) of Schleswig-Holstein, King of Denmark. Her mother was Princess Louise Wilhelmina of Hesse-Cassel (1818- ). Alexandria as a girl was raised in rather frugal circumstances in Copenhagen. She and her sisters sewed many of their own clothes. Occasionally they would wait on tables and perform other household chores. It was a very hapy family. She was a naural athelete and the children practiced gymastics.

She loved to ride and a very proficient horsewoman. She grew up to be a beautiful woman and like her husband had no interest in intelectual pursuits--she "had no brain" as one historian rather ineligantly phrased it. Her engaging personality and lack of pretense made her a favorite of her mother-in-law, Queen Victoria. She also was a great favorite of the British people. Her children, horses, and dogs became the center of her life. Her husband who liked not only beautiful, but also witty women would seek their companionship. The Prussian war with Denmark and the loss of Scheswig-Holstein engenderd a life-long distaste for the Germans. Her husband after the assumption of his nephew Wilhelm to the German imperial throne had his own difficulties with the Germans. Alix and her husband became King and Queen of England in 1901 and were crowned in 1902. The fashions of the entire era were named after them, the Edwardian Era. Their son George V succeed to the throne. George's children (her grandchildren) loved to visit as both grandparents doted on them in contrast to their father's strict discipline.

Childhood Alexandra was born in the Yellow Palace (not a palace in the popular sence) in Copenhagen during 1844. We have been able to find little information about Alexandra's childhood. We know ge was raised in frugal, but comfortable middle class suroudings. The Danish royals did not have the wealth of some European royals. This was especially true of Alix's family as her father while of the bluest of royal blood had no family inheritance and was not initially in line to inherit the Danish Crown. The family lived on his small incomne as an army officer. They lived in a moderate mansion and could not afford many of the glamorous trimmings often associated with royals. Alix and Dagmar were plainly dressed, primarily because money was scarce, and as teenagers they learned the best way to get a new frock was to sew one. Alix as a girl wore her hair in long ringlet curls. One painting shows Dagmar with shorter curls. Alix's family was not noted for its intellectual pursuits. There was little money for tutors. Their mother taught the children music and dance. Their father focused on gymastics which the children loved.

Family Alexandra's father was Christian IX of Schleswig-Holstein, King of Denmark. King Christian is often called the grandfather of Europe because of the number of his discendents who became monarchs. Although poorly educated, King Christian was a man of high morals and a devoted husband and father. Her mother was Princess Louise Wilhelmina of Hesse-Cassel (1818- ). Princess Christian was very different from her husband. She was much more lively and forceful. From all accounts her husband and children were devoted to her. She suffered from otosclerosis, a hereditary form of deafness, which she passed on to Princess Alexandra. Denmark at the time was not a very important country, but two King Christian's daughters marries into two of the most important dynasties in Europe, the English and Russian royal families. And boh became devoted wives. A son becane king of Greece. Christian IX (1818- Alexandra's father was Christian IX of Schleswig-Holstein, King of Denmark. King Christian is often called the grandfather of Europe because of the number of his discendents who became monarchs. Christian was born in 1818.

Christian's father was Duke Frederick William of Schleswig-Holstein (1785- ). His mother was Princess Louise Wilhelmina von Hessen-Cassel (1789- ). By his father, he was a direct descendant of King Christian III of Denmark and his mother was a granddaughter of King Frederik V. Prince Christian studied at the Militar Academy of Cophenagen and he entered the Danish army in 1837. That same year he persued the young Queen of Engalnd, Victoria, who had just acceded the throne. He was, however, judged rather a "country bumkin" because of his poor education and the view of Copenhagen as rather a backward corner of Europe. Victoria instead chose Prince Albert of Saxe Coburg. Christian then married Princess Louise Wilhelmina of Hesse-Casselin 1842. Christian produced three kings and a queen. His son Frederick succeded him as King of Denmark in 1906. His son Charles became King Haakon VII of Norway in 1905. Another son William became king of Greece. His daughter Alexandra married the Prince of Wales (future Edward VII) and became Queen of England.

Although poorly educated, King Christian was a man of high morals and a devoted husband and father. Mother Her mother was Princess Louise Wilhelmina of Hesse-Cassel (1818- ). Princess Christian was very different from her husband. She was much more lively and forceful. From all accounts her husband and children were devoted to her. She suffered from otosclerosis, a hereditary form of deafness, which she passed on to Princess Alexandra. Louise was the kindness of mothers. She helped instill a love of misic in her children. She was also strict in many ways such as threatening to box Alix's amd Dagmar's ears if they acted like a flitatious young woman they had met socially. Siblings Alix certainly grew up in a star-crossed family. It is interesting that the children from such a minor European royal family could have risen to the thrones of such major countries. Alix, as she called in the family, was deeply attached to her brother William (future King of Greece) and to her sister Dagmar (future Empress of Russia). She was less close to her elder brother or her younger siblings.

Alix's time was almost entirely spent in the company of Dagmar, with whom she shared a small barely-furnished bedroom, since the Yellow Palace was so small that it didn't allow the children to have rooms of their own. Denmark Denmark was different than most European countries in that there was a personal relationship between the Crown and the people. The country had been so reduced by the Bapoleonic Wars that in the 19th century it was possible for soverign and subjects to know each other persinally. There was not the distance that seperated soverigns and subjects in the larger, more important European countries. Subjects would appeal directly to their king for aid. When a peliness Hans Christian Anderson, for example, as a youth asked Frederick VI for aid, the king saw to his eduaction. The Danish way of life was essentially democratic even before democratic constitutional changes were made. Denmark was not as clannish as many other countries and in fact saw itself as one large family. (This was best seen in how the Danes managed to save their Jewish citizens from the NAZIs during World War II.) This was the Denmark in which Princess Alexandra was raised and in which her cahracter was shaped.

And even after marrying the Prince of Wales she never lost her fierce devotion to Denmark and the Danish people. [Battiscombe, pp. 2-4.] Personality Princess Alexandra was a beauty girl. She is said to have been quick tempered and passionate. She was deplorably unpunctual. She was, however, affectionate and honest. She was one of the most kind and giving people to reign as Queen of England. This was was noticed by her mother-in-law, Queen Victoria, while Alix was still Princess Of Wales. Princess Alix inherited her mother's slim, exquisite figure, her taste for music as well as her religious faith. As a woman she also inherited her mother's deafness too. She grew up to be a beautiful woman and like her husband and no interest in intelectual pursuits--she "had no brain" as one historian rather ineligantly phrased it. Name We have generally seen Alexandra refered to as "Alix" within in the family. A reader asks, "I note that Eric R.

Delderfield who wrote books on the genealogical trees and coats of arms of the Royal Family noted that Princess Alexandra 's name was shortened to Alex (As the boy's name) when referenced." Figure 2.--Alix and Bertie were married at St. George's Chapel, Windsor and not Westminster Abby like his parents. Note Queen Victoria in black in the Catherine of Aragon closet. I thought the boy in the painting might be Prince Leopold, but it also could be Prince Wilhelm (the future Kaisser) who appears to be wearing a kilt. He is holding on to his mother the Crown Princess Victoria. The little girl os probably Princess Beatrice. The artist was W.P Frith who encountered considerable difficulties with young Wilhelm. Click on the image for more details. Bertie Bertie was a bit of a problem in the early 1860s. He was increasingly difficult to control. In fact his father was not at all well and he made a trip to discuss his son's indistretion. The exposure and poor medical attention soon resulted in his death. Both his parents thought that marriage might settle him down.

He was not a particularly handsome youth and his behavior did not endear him to some perspective brides--especially the very high opinion he had of himself. His sister Victoria, then Crown Princess of Prussia tried to find a German princess, but first rejected them as to plain. Largely for diplomatic reasons, none wanted to see a marriage with a Danish princess--given the problems over Scheswig-Holstein. The Queen and Prince Albert at first objected because Denmark was not a very important country and they did not approve of some of her realtives. Prince Albert is reported to have said, "We take the Princess, but not her relations." A major factor had been the growing dispute between Prissia and Denmark. At the time Albert had been trying to forge stringer bonds with Prussia and influence the develoopment along moderate, democratic lines. This is why they married Crown Princess Victoria to the Prussian Crown Prince. Vicky did obtain a photograph and was impressed. Victoria and Allbert at first objected, but eventually consented. Vicky arranged a meeting in Germany, but Alix was not told about it and thought that her family just bumped into Berie by accident.

(She presumably figured it out as her mother had insisted she wear her best dress even though they were going on a train, a dusty undertaking at the time.) After the meeting Berie delayed, probably because an affair with Nelly Clifden surfaced in the press. It was this affair that caused Prince Albert to go to Cambridge and speak with his son. He got drenched. After returning home he fell sick and died of typhoid fever in December 1861. The Queen blamed her son. After his father's death, the wedding had to be further delayed. Marriage Bertie and Alexandria mairred in 1863. He was 21 and wed Danish Princess Alexandra Oldenburg, age 18. She was delivered to London aboard the royal yacht. The British public was relieved to find it was not another royal marriage to a German royal family and were delighted with the Princesses' beauty and charm. It was a time of great celebration in Britain, finally emerging from the gloom surrounding the death of Prince Albert in 1861. Mairrage into the British royal family was quite a change for Alexandra, despite her royal heritage, she had been raised in great frugality.

Marriage to Bertie, however, was no picnic. She had to contend with many infidilities. One author called him a prodigious philanderer. Her husband who liked not only beautiful, but also bright, witty women would seek their companionship. Alix while charming, was totally unable to conduct any kind of intellectual converstion. Bertie was a philanderer, although he did become more discrete after marriage. Alix knew of this, but tolerated it. She expalained, "He always loved me the most". Her tolerance and forebarence no doubt helped to endeared her to the British people who loved her from the first day she set foot on English soil. Queen Victoria The Queen's initial reluctance vanished even before she had met Alix. After they met, Alix's engaging personality and lack of pretense charmed the Queen and made her a favorite of her mother-in-law. Alix had the ability to light up any room she entered. Although Victoria's meddling caused priblems, the bonds between the two were never broken. In large measure this was due to Alix. She was able to charm the Queen when ever they were together.

It is quite amazing how often she refused to acede to Victoria's constant interfearing on her private life and in raising the children, yet avoid any open break in their relationship. Queen Victoria complained about Alix, primarily because she did not duifully follow a never ending stream of instructions. The Queen wrote to her daughter Vicky in Prussia, "Alix and I never will or can be intimate; she shows me no confidence whatsoever especially about the children..." Some letters were even more severe, at times bringing Alix to tears. In this regard Berie, despite his many failings as a husband, would stand up for his wife. The Queen always was swayed by Alix's charm when she visited. Popularity Alix from the beginning was enormously popular with the British public. In many ways it was much like the devotion that Princess Diana sparked. Alix's beauty was one factor, but it was her enormous charm that sealed the relationship. For many years she and Bertie were the public face of monarchy in Britain. The Queen secluded herself and did not attend public functions. She refused to give Bertie ant real responsibility, but it was Alizx and Bertie that the public saw.

The public adulation must have affected how Victoria regarded Alix. There must have been an element of jealousy in their relationship with the Queen resenting her daughter-in-laws great popularity. In later years, the dignity with which Alix conducted herself regarding her husband's philandering added even greater luster to her public image. Alix was for a long time the only really popular member of the royal family. There were times as Princess of Wales that crowds would cheer her, but hiss when her husband arrived. Edwardian Fashion Edwardian fashion aactually appeared in the late 19th century. Edwardian styles were not, of course, limted to Edward VII himself. The combined fashion influence of Edward VII and his beautiful Danish bride Alexandra was felt years before Edward became king. It is in fact difficult to determine just when the Victiorian era ended and ahe Edwardian era began. They both encouraged fashions that were exuberant but disciplined, gay but certainly not wanton. The Edwardian style is often said to have a more cosmopolitan flavor than Victorian fashions which were generally more formal and impressive.

One observer reportsm "Pictures of her as a young woman show a sad, soulful look in her eyes." She reportedlty walked with a limp which was imitated by society. Many phitographs show her wearing quite a bit of jewelry. Royal Homes Bertie had of course grown up in Windsor, Osborne, and Balmoral. Marlborough House was settled on Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII), with a view to it becoming his official residence on his reaching age 18. Alix enjoyed social occassions, but she was at heart a home body. She loved Marlborough House from the beginning and came feel the same about Sandringham. Social Life Alix and Bertie never tired of attending parties. Even before Edward became king, they led the way for Society. Their glitering social life could not have been any more different than the perpetual gloom suounding Victoria after her husband's death. Their older grand children, David and Bertie (George V's sons), in particular were struck by the difference. Figure 3.--The Prince and Princess of Wales are seen here in 1876 with Prince Victor Albert (Eddy) and Princess Louise.

I'm not sure why Prince George is absent. The painting is by Heinrich von Angeli. Children and Parenthood Edward VII is probably one of the most well-know royal princes. Much has been written about his upbringing. Some contend that he was not raised in a very sympathetic environment. Certainly none of his chiildren posed the problems that he as a boy had been to his parents. His children were well grown before he became king in 1901. His oldest son, Albert Victor, died much to the relief of many before Bertie became king. The most famous son was his second boy who became George V. He was to lead Britain through World War I and was much criticised for the way he raised his children. Alexandra is said to have been a very good mother. Alix was one of the very few mothers in privlidged circumstances who actually plauyed an important part in raising her own children. She did not just hand them over to nannnies and forget about them. Motherhood was Alix's principal interest, along with her horses and dogs. We have little information on Alexandra's thoughts on clothing fashions for the children.

HBC also has little information on what Bertie felt about his boyhood clothes or the clothes selected for his children. Available images provide some information. Clothing The Princess was not extravigant concerning clothes, no doubt an affect of the precarious finances of her youth. She even had her maids darning handkerchiefs and socks. She mostly bought from Englis dressmakers in London for poltical reasons. Redfern was her favirite. There were occasional trips to Paris where she would shop at Doucet, a famous shop. He also bought at the lesser known form of Fromont on the Rue de la Paix. We have no information as to where she bought the children's clothes and to who may have advised her on the matter. We know that her husband was very ibnterested in his own clothes. We do not know if he took a personal interest in the children's clothes. Illness Alix's first two pregancies were relatively uneventful except for the premature deliveries. Princess Louise's pregnancy was very different. Alix became very sick, especially after the delivery. Her husband did not appear to take it seriously. The Queen did and Alix's parents were asked to come to her bed side.

There was real concern for her life. She suvived, but emerged as quite a changed person. This was the first time this active, outgoing young woman had exoerienced such intense pain and such a severe illness. She must have been hurt by her husband's behavior. Rather than remain at her bed side, he continued his social life, including flirtations with several beautiful women. She also was left with a noticeable limp, which must have had a great impact on such an athletic young woman. Worse still was that her otosclerosis which is often activated by illness and pregnancy. Alix became increasingly deaf. Otosclerosis was untreatable at the time. It was a terrible handicap fox Alix. She was clever enough to deal with it. Her charm and grace helped. But as she was not an active reader and well educated, her deafness cut her off from the conversation that would have exposed her to the great issues of the day. It also limited her ability to share in her husband's active social life which only incouraged his indiscretions. Egypt Alix's many pregancies prevented her accompanying her husband on many of his European trips.

One trip they did take together was an epic 6-month journey to Paris, Copenhagen, Berlin, Vienna, Trieste, Egypt, Istambul, the Crimea, and Greece. One of the purposes was to show her mother Princess Louise, her name sake. Here the Queen's rudely expressed objections brought Alix to tears, but it was finally agreed that the boys and Louise would join up with their parents in Denmark to visit with their grandparents. After the visit the children tearfully returned to England and their parents continued on. The official visits wee extensive in Berlin and Vienna. They were fascinated by Egypt. The boys wrote hoping that they would not be eaten by "Crokkydiles". Berie of course shot one. Alix brought back two live trophies. One was Ali Achmet, a Nubian orphan boy, who attached himself to the expedition and became a kind of mascot. He was installed at Sandringham and baptised with Nertie and Alix as godparents. He could, however, not be disuaded from stealing things. The other was a black ram who she rescuced from the butcher and also installed at her menagerie at Sandringham. Finally they visited Alix's brother King George in Greece.

[Battiscombe, pp. 104-105.] Good Works Alexandra was an extemely generous individual on both the personal and public level. She was consantly sending small gifts both to friends and staff. The gifts and acquaintences were often charmingly inappropriate. At Sanbdringham she founded a carving school for the boys of the estate workers. Her primary public works were long association with the Red Cross and the Army Nursing Services. Alexandra helped to found the Red Cross in England. She also started several nursing programs in her own name. She helped outfit a hospital ship to hep the soldiers wounded in the Boer War. There were many smaller public charitable activities, such as a banquet for the poor boys of London. Animals Besides her children, Alix's great passion in her life was for her animals. The menangere at Sandriham which delighted her children and grand children was a testimnony to that. A good example was an incident at Vicoria Station on the way to comfort her sister Dagmar after the assasination of Tsar Alexander II , her father-in-law. She hated to be separated from her children or animals and had brought along Joss, an especially dear pet as far as Victoria Station.

Joss for his part did not want to be separated from his misstress and took off down the track as Alexandra was still waving from the window. Joss and the train disappered in the darkness. Princess Louise was, however, able to report to her grandmother Queen Elizabeth that Joss had been found. [Battiscombe, p. 159.] Art and Photography Alexandra dabbled with painting in both water colors and oil. She showed no great aptitude here. Her biographaer notes considerable differences between her own works and those supervised by a drawing master. Her photography was much more interesting. She took up photography and here showed some talent. She called her camera a "photography machine". [Battiscombe, p. 204.] Given her position she was able to photograph many of the greats of the age such as Queen Victoria and Admiral Sir John Fisher who many credit for preparing the British fleet to fight World War I. She must have taken many photographs of her grandchildren, but I do not have any information on such photographs at this time. The Germans Alexandra was not a person greatly concerned with history or European power politics.

The Prussian war with Denmark in 1864 and the loss of Scheswig-Holstein, however, intensified a life-long distaste for the Germans. Her dislike was sometimes irrational and she would often not heed even the diplomatic nicieties. For her it was a very personal matter. As Princess of Wales, she played a small, but not unimportant role in helping to reshape English opinions toward the Prussians/Germans. Alix had little influence on the British Foreign Office, but the English people's Danish Princess was enormously popular and the some of this popularity affected how many viewed Denmark. Prussia was seen as bullying and agressive. (Victoria at this stage still favored the Prussians and it was a source of irritation between them. It was only after the Prussians attacked Austria that Victoria's opinions began to change.) Alix's influence was one of many factor's that was bringing about a major shift in British public opinion. The English had traditionally viewed France as their mortal enemy and the Prussians as potential allies. This view lasted well into the 19th century, as it was the Prussians under Blutcher that had saved Wellington at Waterloo in his 1815 stand against Napoleon.

This shift in attitudes toward the Prussians was to have enormous consequences in the 20th century. Alexandra's husband after the assumption of his nephew Wilhelm to the German imperial throne had his own difficulties with the Germans. Grandmother Alexandra is said to have been a doting grandmother. She waa always more prone to spoiling rather than disciplining her own children, but this is often more of a virtue for a grandmother. Prince George children grew up next door in York Cottage. Their parents, now the Duke and Duchess of York, did not especially approve of Alix's endulgences with the children, but neither was about to make a strong issue of it which would have terribly upset Alexandra. She was allowed to have the children when ever she wanted. The young princes and princess loved to visit their grandmother who spoiled them terribly, in contrast's to their fathers' strict navy routein. The children quickly learned that the excuse, "but grandmama said we could" often got them out of difficult situations. Their grandfather was also quite endulgent, but not as engaged. Alix developed an especially close relationship to Prince John, the youngest child. Her relationship with her other grandchildren was more distant.

Not only were they in Scotalnd, but daughter Louisa now Duchess of Fife was not nearly as willing for Alexandra to have the children as often as Alexandra would have wanted. The Princess was hurt by the differing attitude of her own daughter compared to her daughter-in-law. Alexandra Becomes Queen Edward was crowned in 1902 after Victoria's death. He refused to be take his first name and be crowned Albert I--in deference to his father. Instead he was crowned Edward VII. Reign Later Years When her husband died in 1910, Queen Alexandra became Queen Mother. She bought a house in Denmark with her sister Dagmar so they would hve a place to stay when they visited Denmark as their parents had died. World War I Like many women of he social class, especially essentially uneducated women like Alix. With her anti-German sentiments she was a strong supporter of the War effort and engaged in many home-front activities. She was not untouched by the War. There were German Zephin raids. Her first thoughts were for the villagers. She wanted to take pot-shots at them. She enjoyed recounting the story as it made her feel that sge had actually joined the fight against the Germans.

Russian Revolution The Russian Revolution was terrifing for the Royal family. Knocking the Russians out of the War allowed the German to mount a massive new assault on the Western Front. Had Kaissr Wihelm II not acquiesed in military demands for unconditional sunmarinr warfare in 1917 brining America into the War, they probably would have succeeded. More directly for Alix, were family ties to the Tsar's family. Tsar Nicholas was her nephew. He and his family were assasinated in 1918, but his mother, Alix's sister Dagmar managed to get to areas controlled by the white forces in the Crimea. She was eventually rescued there by a Royal Navy ship. She refused to board until they agreed to take her family and friends. Once safely in England she was installed at Frogmore House . Final Years As Queen Mother towards the end of her life she became almost completely deaf and suffered from mild senile dementia. Her deafness was getting worse and her son, George V, on the wishes of his wife Mary, pushed his mother to the background. She resided chiefly at Sandringham House, Norfolk, which Edward VII had purchased as Prince of Wales.

In her drives about the countryside she would graciously wave and bow to the cows in the fields, the faithful Princess Victoria always in attendance. Sources Research on Queen Alexandra is complicated by the fact that, like her husband, she ordered the destruction of her letters and papers after her death. Battiscombe, Georgina. Queen Alexandra (Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 1969). Bennett, Daphne King Without a Crown: Albert Prince Consort of England, 1819-1861 (New York: J.B. Lippincott, 1977). Bradford, Sarah. The Reluctant King: The Life and Reign of George VI, 1895-1952 (New York: St. Marin's Press, 1989), 506p. The Mad Monarchist: Consort Profile: Alexandra of Denmark Friday, August 20, 2010 Consort Profile: Alexandra of Denmark One of the most beloved consorts of the recent British monarchs was surely Alexandra of Denmark, the Queen consort of King Edward VII. She had everything going for her as a royal bride.

She was beautiful, opinionated but not intrusive, dutiful, fertile and compassionate. The people adored her and yet it is easy to ignore or gloss over the amount of hardship she had to endure in her marriage because she handled it all in the most time honored, stiff upper lip, aristocratic fashion. It may have been easier for others to think that if it did not bother the queen it should not bother them. However, Alexandra was the sort who, even if it bothered her terribly (as it surely did) she never would have showed it. She was born HRH Princess Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Gluecksburg at the Yellow Palace in Copenhagen on December 1, 1844 to Prince Christian of Denmark and Princess Louise von Hessen-Kassel. They had a happy but not lavish life (their only income was her father’s army salary) though not every child could boast of having Hans Christian Andersen reading them bedtime stories. Princess Alexandra had to share a very modest attic bedroom with her sister Princess Dagmar (future Tsarina of Russia) and she had to make her own clothes.

She had an English chaplain and grew up to be a very religious young lady with noticeably “high church” sympathies. When Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Great Britain began looking for a suitable bride for the Prince of Wales amongst the princesses of Germany they came up empty-handed. Somewhat reluctantly they then turned to Denmark and the lovely young Princess “Alix”. In 1862 Prince Albert Edward (who already had the reputation of something of a playboy) proposed to Alexandra at Laeken Castle, the home of his great-uncle King Leopold I of the Belgians. The next year the couple were married at Windsor Castle. Within the next year Alexandra’s father had become King of Denmark, her brother George became King of Greece and her sister Dagmar became Crown Princess of Russia. Prussia and her German allies also invaded Denmark which set in Alexandra a lifelong dislike of Germany and the Prussian royal house in particular. Alexandra, Princess of Wales, also did her royal duty by giving the British monarchy a future heir, Prince Albert Victor, in 1864 with five more children to follow.

Giving birth was not easy for Alexandra, all were born premature and her youngest, Prince John, was born handicapped and did not live long. Still, she was a devoted mother and was happiest when taking care of her children. She also enjoyed dancing, ice skating, riding and hunting. Queen Victoria disapproved of these pursuits for a Princess of Wales just as she disapproved of her hostility toward the Germans. Yet, as formidable a presence as the Queen could be she never managed to change Alexandra. Those who knew her had nothing but praise for the Princess of Wales who was regal and dignified in public and very affectionate, warm and friendly in private. Along with her husband she traveled extensively visiting Austria, Egypt, Greece the Crimea and had the distinction of being the woman to have dinner with the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. She seemed the ideal royal wife and was much beloved by the public but behind the glittering façade she had many burdens to bear. While Alexandra was faithful and quite religious, the Prince of Wales never changed his colorful lifestyle and took a succession of mistresses. None of this was a secret to Alexandra but she chose to ignore it rather than make a scene or cause further scandal.

In 1867 rheumatic fever left her moderately crippled and she walked with a limp thereafter. Otosclerosis, a bone growth of the middle ear, caused her to slowly lose her hearing and brought an end to the social life she so enjoyed though she was certainly happy to spend more time with her children. Although never shown in public she was naturally distressed by the neglect of her husband during her worst bouts of illness and his frequent adultery. Eventually they lived fairly separate lives for the most part. The Prince stopped taking her with him on his foreign tours and Alix spent more time with her own relatives. She did accompany him to Russia in the aftermath of the regicide of Alexander II to comfort her sister (the new Tsarina) and as Queen Victoria became less able to get about Princess Alexandra was called upon to take up the slack. When Tsar Alexander III died the Princess of Wales again went to comfort her sister who depended greatly on her immense patience and compassion. In 1901 Alexandra became Queen-empress as her husband became King Edward VII and the two were crowned the next year. Her life did not change very much and she was often called upon to look after her grandchildren, something she always enjoyed.

At times she has been accused of trying to meddle in foreign affairs (one area where the King was most prominent) but this is really not the case. Naturally she favored the cause of her native Denmark and she never lost her hostility toward the Germans, particularly her nephew-by-marriage Kaiser Wilhelm II. However, this had no real bearing on foreign policy or the King who disliked his nephew in any event regardless of what his wife thought. She warned against trading Heligoland to Germany (probably a wise warning) and we know she disapproved of the bill aimed at revoking the veto power of the House of Lords. However, there is no indication that her views influenced any decision-making. She was in Greece when word came that Edward VII was near death and she rushed home to care for him in his last day of life. Now Queen Mother, Alexandra was always supportive of her son King George V, even when she disagreed with the actions he took. When World War I came there was no more ardent patriot that Queen Alexandra who felt her previous warning about the Germans being the “enemy” had been vindicated. The revolution in Russia was naturally deeply distressing to her and after the war her health, already rather frail, declined rapidly.

Toward the end she was partially blind, could no longer speak clearly and suffered a failing memory. She died on November 20, 1925 at Sandringham as a result of a heart attack. Remembered for her picturesque appearance, regal fortitude and fashion sense (she was something of a trend-setter) Queen Alexandra was also much more. She endured a great many personal hardships, she was dutiful, generous to a fault and never backed down on her convictions. She was, in many ways, an ideal queen consort who had a less than ideal life. Posted by Queen Alexandra - Biography - IMDb Queen Alexandra Jump to: Overview (4) | Mini Bio (1) | Spouse (1) | Trivia (9) Overview (4) Alexandra Caroline Mary Charlotte Louisa Julia Height 5' 5" (1.65 m) Mini Bio (1) Queen Alexandra was born Princess Alexandra Caroline Mary Charlotte Louisa Julia on December 1, 1844. She was the granddaughter of the king of Denmark. She lived an uneventful childhood in the palaces of Denmark with her sister, Marie, who became the mother of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia.

When Alex, as she was called, turned 16 she was considered a great beauty, and won the hand of the heir to the throne of England. She and Prince Albert Edward, or "Bertie", were married on March 10, 1863. They had six children including the future King George V . The first 40 years of marriage were very turbulent for Alexandra. As well as the six children, she had to contend with a brother-in-law (the husband of Bertie's sister Helena) whose family wanted a stake in the Schleswig-Holstein lands that had belonged to the kings of Denmark for generations. Finally in 1901 her mother-in-law, Queen Victoria , died, making her husband King Edward VII and she, in turn, Queen Consort. During her time as Queen she did many things to make England better, including the establishment of The Red Cross. In 1910, however, something happened to change everything. Her husband of almost 50 years died. On his death bed she did a very magnanimous thing: she allowed his mistress, Alice Keppel, to say goodbye to him.

After his death she lived at the house in which she had lived during her marriage. Unfortunately, she also lived with the increasing deafness that plagued her life as well as that of her son Albert Victor, who would have become king if he had not died. Alexandra died in 1925 of a heart attack and is buried at Windsor near her husband and mother and father-in-law. - IMDb Mini Biography By: CR Spouse (1) ( 10 March 1863 - 6 May 1910) (his death) (6 children) Trivia (9) Through marriage and blood Alexandra was an aunt to both Tsar Nicholas II and his wife Tsarina Alexandra . Nicholas was the son of her sister Marie and Alexandra was the daughter of her husband's sister Alice.

Alexandra | queen consort of Great Britain | Britannica.com queen consort of Great Britain Written By: Alternative Titles: Alexandra Caroline Mary Charlotte Louisa Julia, Alexandra, Princess of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, Alexandra, Princess of Wales Alexandra Queen consort of Great Britain Also known as Alexandra Caroline Mary Charlotte Louisa Julia Alexandra, Princess of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg Arthur Wellesley, 1st duke of Wellington Alexandra, in full Alexandra Caroline Mary Charlotte Louisa Julia, also called (1844–63) Princess of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, or (1863–1901) Princess of Wales (born Dec. 1, 1844, Copenhagen , Den.—died Nov. 20, 1925, Sandringham , Norfolk , Eng.), queen consort of King Edward VII of Great Britain. Queen Alexandra. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. The eldest daughter of Christian IX of Denmark , Alexandra was married to Edward (then Albert Edward, prince of Wales) in St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, on March 10, 1863.

The exceptional beauty and graceful manner of the princess made her an immediate and lasting favourite with the British public. She had six children: Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence; George, Duke of York, afterward King George V; Louise, afterward Duchess of Fife; Victoria; Maud, afterward queen of Norway; and John, who died in infancy. A serious illness in 1867 left Alexandra lame and accentuated a hereditary deafness. As queen she devoted much of her income and time to the poor and suffering; she founded the Imperial Military Nursing Service in 1902 and started Alexandra Rose Day to raise funds for British hospitals. Learn More in these related articles: Edward VII Nov. 9, 1841 London, Eng. May 6, 1910 London king of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British dominions and emperor of India from 1901, an immensely popular and affable sovereign and a leader of society. in choker ...early form of choker had one or more rows of pearls, which sometimes covered the neck from the base to the chin. Another popular choker was a band of velvet with a cameo pinned to its centre.

Queen Alexandra, consort to Edward VII of Great Britain, in the late 19th century introduced a wide pearl and diamond choker that was soon dubbed the “dog collar.” 2 References found in Britannica Articles Assorted References association with Edward VII (in Edward VII ) introduction of choker as fashion (in choker ) External Links Corrections? Updates? Help us improve this article! Contact our editors with your feedback. MEDIA FOR: You have successfully emailed this. Error when sending the email. Try again later. Edit Mode Queen consort of Great Britain Tips for Editing Submit Tips For Editing We welcome suggested improvements to any of our articles. You can make it easier for us to review and, hopefully, publish your contribution by keeping a few points in mind. Encyclopædia Britannica articles are written in a neutral objective tone for a general audience. You may find it helpful to search within the site to see how similar or related subjects are covered. Any text you add should be original, not copied from other sources. At the bottom of the article, feel free to list any sources that support your changes, so that we can fully understand their context.

(Internet URLs are the best.) Your contribution may be further edited by our staff, and its publication is subject to our final approval. Unfortunately, our editorial approach may not be able to accommodate all contributions. Submit Thank You for Your Contribution! Our editors will review what you've submitted, and if it meets our criteria, we'll add it to the article. Please note that our editors may make some formatting changes or correct spelling or grammatical errors, and may also contact you if any clarifications are needed. Uh Oh There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later. Close Date Published: July 20, 1998 URL: Access Date: January 18, 2017 Share Deaf History: Queen Alexandra | BSL Zone Deaf History: Queen Alexandra Camilla Arnold introduces the Danish princess who married King Edward VII Documentary as part of the Deaf History series. The monarchy has been endlessly recorded in history, but not many people know that at the beginning of the 20th Century, Britain had a Deaf queen. Reporter Camilla Arnold tells us about the life of Queen Alexandra, who was born in Denmark in 1844.

When she was 16, she was chosen to be the wife of Albert, Prince of Wales and became the daughter-in-law of Queen Victoria. It is believed that Alexandra taught the Queen to fingerspell, and she made a point of supporting Deaf arts, buying work from Deaf artists and sculptors. Watch it to find out more! Read more Tick here to confirm that you are over 16 - You must be over 16 to post a video comment Videos must be in BSL. They must also be clear, with good lighting. Tick here to say you will do this. - Please tick here to say you will do this. (Your name / email address will be private) Next Thank you for your submission. Your comment will be moderated before being publicly visible. Name: (Your name / email address will be private) Comment: What you thought about Deaf History: Queen Alexandra... Wow fantastic history story I loved it! Posted on 30th Nov 2015 151130 I surprised she was deaf, I born in Lincoln, England, I'm deaf, live in San Antonio, Tx.

Posted on 24th Sep 2015 150924 History deaf pricess Alice and Alexandra queen copy facebook Posted on 24th Sep 2015 150924 Pls advice me any deaf history of the queen Victoria's family or more. I'm deaf too n interest thankyou. Posted on 11th Sep 2015 150911 please send me e mail about deaf history,,I really like it very much. Very inter stings about deaf history. Thank you Posted on 11th Sep 2015 150911 Very interested history on Deaf Royal /Ordinary people. Posted on 11th Sep 2015 150911 I had never known of King'wife Queen Alexandra is really deaf. I am in interesting to learn more about her and her life. I am aware of Queen Elizabeth's husband Philp's mother named Alice was deaf. Thank you for sharing that with you.

Posted on 24th Jun 2014 140624 Queen Alexandra with queen Victoria finger spell great wow Posted on 24th Jun 2014 140624 I watch your programming from the USA and enjoyed learning about Queen Alexandra. I enjoy all your programs and wish we had something like BSL Zone here. BSL is different from ASL. It is very interesting to see the differences. Thank you for the subtitles. Your work is appreciated. Posted on 17th Jul 2013 130717 is Queen Alexandra deaf or hearing ? Im amazed that she is involved in the deaf history i hear a lot about her marriage to King Edward. He is mentioned a lot as womanizer and his wife is mentioned to be long suffering wife. Posted on 17th Jul 2013 130717 This is the first time this information about her being deaf i have ever seen. Posted on 17th Jul 2013 130717 Hello Kati, Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful video about Princess Alexandra!

I taught about Princess Alexandra in my Deaf History class at TAFE some years ago. Receiving this video is even better because students will be interested in seeing the different pictures about Alexandra. So, many thanks again for sharing with me. Big warm smiles and a big hello to you and Alan from Adelaide. xxx Posted on 17th Jul 2013 130717 Queen Alexandra and her husband, King Edward VII, had six children. Posted on 2nd Mar 2013 130302 How many children did Queen Alexandra and her husband have? Posted on 2nd Mar 2013 130302 It was a great to see the story of Queen Alexandra. I like it, because I am living in Denmark and had never heard about her life. Did Queen Alexandra came from the family of King in Denmark or how? I heard also someone deaf in family in Spain, did he and Queen Alexandra was related?

Posted on 2nd Mar 2013 130302 Queen Victoria had a granddaughter called Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg (1887-1969) Princess Victoria Eugenie, who was a cousin to King George V, married King Alfonso XIII of Spain. The current King Juan Carlos I of Spain is her grandson. King Alfonso died in exile in 1941. Posted on 25th Feb 2013 130225 I would like to ask Camilla Arnold exactly how Queen Victoria and Spain's Prince Don Alfonso become related to one another? What happened to Spain's Prince Don Alfonso? Posted on 25th Feb 2013 130225 I like the history of Queen Alexandra of Denmark was deaf. I'm proud of her. Posted on 25th Feb 2013 130225 Queen Alexandra (1844-1925) - Explore-Parliament.net [ Virtual Tour ] [ Main Topics Index ] Queen Alexandra was born in 1844, and married Edward VII when she was 19 years old.

She was heavily involved in helping various charitable causes - most notably the poor, and the veterans of England's many foreign wars during the period. Alexandra is widely regarded to have been one of the most beautiful Queens of England. She died in 1925. Like that of Edward VII in this room, this is a copy after Sir Luke Fildes, an artist who started out in the later 19th century as a specialist in a popular, anecdotal style, but gradually focused almost entirely on portraiture. Alex, as good as she is, is not worth the price we have to pay for her in having such a family connection. - Queen Victoria. Additional Information on Queen Alexandra (1844-1925) One of England's most beautiful Queens, Alexandra had been brought up in relative poverty in Hesse, and was educated soley by her parents (the future King and Queen of Denmark), as tutors were an unaffordable luxury. Although she was not well endowed with intelligence she had a determination and spirit that were to serve her well in the difficult years ahead.

On meeting the Prince of Wales, Alexandra was quite taken with him and he was, not surprisingly, overwhelmed by her beauty, and naturally her parents regarded warmly the prospect of a closer relationship with England to counterbalance the threat posed by Prussia. Their wedding took place in St. George's Chapel at Windsor in 1863 because the Queen was still in mourning for her beloved Albert who had died two years earlier of typhoid. The young couple entered a social round which was to continue almost interrupted until their deaths. They were based in Marlborough House in London, Sandringham and Balmoral and moved freely around the country enjoying the hospitality of wealthy friends. The Prince of Wales, known as 'Bertie' was extraordinarily gregarious and promiscuous with numerous liaisons and mistresses which Alexandra, or 'Alix' did not mind unless they were of high birth. Fortunately he had a marked preference for actresses such as Lily Langtry, with whom she later became friends. Alexandra and Edward had five children, including two boys, the elder of whom, Eddy, the Duke of Clarence, was born prematurely because Alix foolishly went ice skating when seven months pregnant.

It seems that he suffered from oxygen starvation to the brain and was severely mentally handicapped as a result. Alexandra found her mother-in-law very trying particularly when she was forced by her to greet the King of Prussia (married to Victoria's elder daughter Vicky) after he had annexed part of Denmark. It became clear by the 1870's that Victoria's prolonged mourning was having a very negative effect on the popular view of the monarchy but the situation was saved by the Prince of Wales' near fatal attack of typhoid in 1871, after which Victoria was induced to make more public appearances. The Prince's affairs continued after his recovery without apparently concerning the Princess, until he took up with Lady Brooke, known as Daisy, in 1891. Again the situation was saved by a more important event occurring at the same time, in this case Eddy, who was due to marry Mary of Teck a few weeks later, dying suddenly. Eventually, after 40 years waiting in the wings, kept without a role of any importance, the Prince succeeded his mother in 1901, as King Edward VII.

With the succession settled on George, who was married off to Mary of Teck, Alix spent all her energies on her daughters (enveloping them to the extent that they became embittered) and on numerous charities - the Queen Alexandra Nursing Service was named after her. Alexandra lived on, looking after her grandchildren whenever possible until 1925 when she died of a heart attack and was buried at Windsor. At Edward's lying-in-state she is reported to have said "In spite of all the others, he loved me best".

Question: Alexandra, the Queen of Edward VII, was the daughter of the king of which country?
Answer: Denmark